Breanna Stewart is back.
The All-Star Liberty forward said she will play during the team's game against the Connecticut Sun on Monday night following a weeks-long layoff due to a bone bruise in her right knee.
Stewart said she wanted to return for the team's "playoff push." She added that she's "happy to be back" after four weeks rehabbing with the team's training staff.
Liberty head coach Sandy Brondello confirmed the news, saying both Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu will return to the court Monday. Ionescu missed Saturday's game with a foot injury.
Stewart sustained her injury during a July 26 loss to the Los Angeles Sparks. The injury sidelined Stewart for 13 full games in addition to the game in which Stewart was injured in the game's opening minutes.
The Liberty have struggled in Stewart's absence. The loss to the Sparks was the first of four straight with Stewart sidelined. Including that loss, New York is 5-9 since Stewart was injured.
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The Liberty had the second-best record in the WNBA (17-6) at the time of Stewart's injury and have since fallen to fifth place behind the Lynx, Dream, Aces and Mercury. While the Lynx have control of the No. 1 seed with a six-game lead over second place, the race for the No. 2 seed is very much up for grabs with the Dream, Aces, Mercury and Liberty within two games of each other in the standings as of Monday.
Will Stewart's return break midseason swoon in New York?
Stewart's expected return provides the Liberty with a significant boost at a critical time in the season. A two-time MVP and seven-time All-NBA selection, Stewart was named to her seventh career All-Star game this summer.
In 24 games, Stewart has averaged 18.3 points, 6.5 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.4 blocks per game while shooting 46.9% from the floor. She returns with seven games remaining on the schedule to a loaded roster featuring fellow 2025 All-Star Sabrina Ionescu and fellow former MVP Jonquel Jones. The Liberty also added two-time All-Star former Finals MVP Emma Meesseman as a free agent at the All-Star break.
The Liberty are hoping that Stewart's return can get them back on the winning track and competitive in time for the postseason as they seek to repeat as WNBA champions.
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